Gods and Generals
by Annie Newton
Summary: When an enemy thought dead and buried is resurrected, Sara Pezzini and her allies must unite to prevent their world from being transformed into a demonic hell. But can the Artifact bearers overcome their natural animosities in order to prevent Armageddon?
1. Prelude

**Please read this Prelude and my Authors Note before jumping into this story.**

Copyright: As always, Witchblade, Darkness and Angelus and all related characters do not belong to me. But I wish they did, because then I'd be rich and not struggling from paycheck to paycheck! I'm only borrowing the characters and the universes for a little while. So please, don't sue!

Also, a lot of this Prelude was taken directly from the "Previously" pages in the Witchblade comic. I have paraphrased and changed some of it, but most of it is not my words.

Rating: Mature – Blood. Gore. Scary images. Language. Sex. – The works will be included in this story. Hey, when dealing with Heaven and Hell and the Eternal War, I think the mature rating is called for.

**Gods and Generals**

**Prelude**

Previously in "Witchblade" and "Angelus"…

**Sara Pezzini **already lived a dangerous existence as a New York City Police Detective, but her life changed forever when she came into possession of a powerful artifact called the Witchblade. Though the Witchblade most often takes the form of a mystical gauntlet, in truth it is the offspring of the universe's primal forces, the Darkness and the Angelus, and meant to act as a Balance between the Dark and the Light.

Nearly two years ago, Sara's long-time friend and police partner, **Jake McCarthy**, fell victim to a supernatural attack. Jake slipped into a coma and was placed in the hospital. Sara was partnered with Detective **Patrick Gleason**, and the two quickly began dating. When Jake awoke, his body was under the control of a malevolent entity from another realm. This demonic being claimed to be a god and wished to transform the world into a hellish kingdom, with himself as ruler. Sara was to wound the demon enough to temporarily drive him out of Jake's mind. However, to prevent the god from possessing him again, Jake professed his love for Sara and then committed suicide. Unbeknown to Sara, Jake left a detailed letter describing the Witchblade and Sara's possession of it within a safety deposit box.

At around the same time, Sara discovered that she was with child and, not wanting to risk the safety of her unborn baby, she decided to surrender the Witchblade. Both fate and the Witchblade selected aspiring dancer **Danielle "Dani" Baptiste**, who was the daughter of Sara's police captain.

Sara gave birth to a daughter, **Hope**. It was revealed that Hope was fathered by the present host of the Darkness, mobster **Jackie Estacado**. Though he is not part of Sara's life, Estacado has protected her on several occasions, including killing **Celestine**, a recent host of the Angelus. Though the extent and purpose of her power is yet unknown, Hope has already displayed enormous supernatural abilities over the Angelus and Darkness servants.

Besides Hope, Sara's only remaining family is her younger sister **Julie**, who has moved in with Sara having recently been released from prison after serving time on a drug-related charge.

In order to save Sara's life, Dani willed the Witchblade to split, giving half of the Balance to the former bearer while keeping the remaining half. The Witchblade split along its light and dark axis, with Sara possessing the half influenced by the Darkness and Dani retaining the half influenced by the Angelus.

**Gerald Irons**, the immortal son of Kenneth Irons, wove his way into Dani's life, convincing the young woman that he was in love with her. Demonstrating enormous control over the artifact, Gerald stole Dani's half of the Witchblade and battled with Sara for her half. The dark Witchblade refused Gerald's command and Sara was able to defeat the younger Irons. Dani reclaimed her light Witchblade from Gerald before he was placed in prison for a series of recent murders.

However, Sara began to succumb to the Witchblade's dark side. The Detective's demeanor transformed gradually until the corruption was culminated by Dani's plea for help in covering up an accidental killing.

Conflict ensued between the two bearers. Sara emerged victorious and reclaimed the other half of the Witchblade, while the Angelus Force chose Dani as its new host. Dani was able to harness the power of the Angelus to defeat Sara and purge the rightful bearer with primal light.

Once again balanced between the Dark and the Light, Sara must now try to resume her life and career, though her control of the Witchblade has been diminished, and her relationships strained to the limit.

Pursuing a story on the secret of the Witchblade, **Gretch**, an investigative reporter, recently stalked and spied upon Sara and obtained photographs of the Detective in full Witchblade armor. Soon thereafter, Sara rescued Gretch from the Voodoo Goddess **Marinette** and in return, Gretch opted to not break the Witchblade story.

Meanwhile, resentful that the Angelus Force had passed her over, Angelus Warrior Lieutenant **Sabine** began a rebellion against Dani, whom she thought to be dangerous for the fact that the young woman retained her free will, instead of being subservient to the Light. After bonding with the artifact known as the Wheel of Shadows, Sabine attempted to kill Dani in order to earn the right to become the new Angelus.

Subduing Sabine, Dani spared her life but banished the former second-in-command from the Angelus' Warrior Elite_. In hopes of averting any other attempts at mutiny, Dani bestowed upon her girlfriend, _**Finch**_, the rank of Lieutenant in the Angelus Warrior Elite. _

Upon sensing the arrival of a powerful and evil force, Dani and Finch return to New York City in hopes of joining forces with Sara and the Witchblade.

-O-

A/N:

This story follows the plot and established universes of the Witchblade, Darkness and Angelus comics. Because these are monthly publications (or bimonthly, or trimontly or, well, whatever the case may be…), and considerable changes have taken place within the aforesaid comics in recent issues/months, the events of this story will take place at and around Witchblade #137 – but before #139 – and will imagine that the Angelus miniseries concluded the way I told in the italics at the bottom of the prelude. I don't follow The Darkness book, but will include Jackie and some Darkness lore to the best of my ability.

You can find links to my favorite comic-artist's renderings of the main characters this story will feature in my profile.

Up to this point, Stjepan Sejic is the only artist who I believe has created the best menacing, realistic and yet sexy Witchblade. His concepts of the Witchblade armor will be how I envision, and therefore write, Sara and the 'blade in this story (though if you prefer, you can still use your imagination ;) ). Also, he was the main guy behind Dani's Angelus look and Sabine's "starry" look as the bearer of the Wheel of Shadows. And Finch. He was the genius behind Finch's look too. Can't ever forget her!

And this is important…

Because it does not appear that this is a popular fandom to write in on this site, my updates and continuation of this story will depend solely upon the interest this story generates. If I see that nobody is reading it, nobody is favoriting it or nobody is reviewing it, I very well may abandon it.

Therefore, if you are interested in this story and want me to continue it, please do tell me. 

Reviews are welcome and wanted. Thanks for reading and I hope you are intrigued!

On to the story!


	2. Chapter 1

**Gods and Generals**

**Chapter 1**

The breeze was like ice. It howled through the barren branches of starved trees and screamed over the bleached tops of the skyscrapers that dominated the city skyline. Dull, browned grass, food wrappers, plastic shopping bags and various other objects froze upon the cold-hardened earth, appearing stiff and dead. The few souls silly enough to bear the chill shuffled from building to building, desperately hiding their faces from the biting wind and hurriedly wringing together their mitten-covered hands.

She did not suffer the cold. The armor saw to that. It ensured her blood and bones protection from such elements, warming her body and shielding her flesh from the arctic air.

Save for the delicate, ivory of her face.

She sniffed and felt the frosty air burn the inside of her nostrils before she slowly exhaled the body-warmed breath. Though her exposed flesh around the helmet's edge felt the cold, she knew she did not feel it as much as she should have.

She smiled and cast her gaze towards the star-studded night sky. There was still so much to learn, so many mysteries to explore. Her life had just begun.

"Beautiful, huh?"

Shifting her eyes from the twinkling diamonds sprinkled above her, Danielle Baptiste looked upon the woman who stood at her side. Finch, her lavender suit echoing the silver radiance of the moon, stood at the rooftop's edge, her eyes aglow with starlight.

Dani's heart fluttered as she marveled at her girlfriend's ethereal presence. "Heavenly," she whispered, and took delight in the rare display of color that splashed across the smaller woman's cheeks.

"And the stars are pretty too," said Dani as she knelt down and leaned over the roof's edge, looking very much like one of the many chiseled stone gargoyles that haunted the majority of New York's earliest examples of architecture. A strong updraft blew across her thin frame and caught her wings, ruffling the fragile ruby feathers with an icy blast of wintry air.

Finch shifted her weight, leaned in to the wind and flexed her own pair of wings, feathers dancing like lilac pedals. "Anything?" she asked, her tone forcibly neutral. She looked nervously beyond Dani to the horizon, the faintest hint of dawn coloring the sky a pale pink.

Frowning, Dani shook her head. "I don't know. I think so, but…" she closed her eyes and searched her heart, willing her sense to lead them true. Her light radiated forth, branching out like fingers and probing into the void between the known worlds. Bodies of both of light and of dark shown through, exposing themselves freely to her commanding presence. The energies filled her vision, made the earth drop away into the abyss. For a moment, she was of the universe, a part of the eternal order that governed this world.

For a moment, she was the Angelus. And everything was clear.

A palm pressed against her shoulder, the fingers gently kneading against the scarlet armor. Dani returned from the brink, her consciousness plummeting back into her brain in a dizzying rush. Finch tightened her grip, reassuringly squeezing her lover as Dani once again became herself. She gave Dani a meek smile as the blonde brushed a palm against her forehead, her plated chest heaving.

Several moments passed in which the two women remained silent in the gusty calm. When Dani finally looked up, a smile played upon her pink mouth, "So far so good. It's not here yet, that I know. But the others… The others, they're nervous." Shaking her head, Dani frowned. "I don't like it; it's weird."

"They know something's wrong," Finch offered, nodding her understanding.

Dani pursed her lips. "Yes," she whispered, her gaze an unseeing stare into the distance. "Yes, they do."

Eyes softening, Finch took hold of her lover's hand, "Dani? Are _you_ okay?"

Pulling herself out of the reverie that was so alien, yet so familiar, Dani smiled thinly. "Yeah," she murmured, and giggled at the raised eyebrow Finch gave her. "Yes," she said, turning to face Finch directly, "I'm just fine."

Smiling kindly, Finch nodded her head. "Alright," she said, trying to keep the sympathy out of her voice, "if you're sure." Despite the fact that the Angelus had willingly allowed Dani to retain her freewill, Finch was aware that there still existed a power struggle between the Essence of the Light and her new human host. The effort that Dani exerted to maintain her identity was enormous, and the toll, feared Finch, would someday lay claim to her girlfriend's soul.

Dani reached for her lover's hand and entwined their fingers, interrupting the smaller woman's dark thoughts. "I know where Sara is."

"Good," breathed Finch, "that's one mystery solved." She waited until Dani had finished kissing the back of her hand before spreading her wings. "After you, Mistress," she purred, her irises beginning to smolder with embers of sapphire.

Turning, Dani leapt into the emptiness, the chilled current roaring by her ears. "With pleasure," she said as she plunged into the void between the skyscrapers, opening her wings with a great pump for height. She was aware of Finch taking to the air behind her and with a grin of pure bliss, Dani rose into the sky, the virgin light glinting upon her golden armor.

Quickening the beat of her wings, Finch drew abreast of Dani, being careful not to obstruct the blonde's larger wingspan. They soared over the tops of buildings, the streets passing in a blur far below, the people seeming like odd, multicolored dots upon the gray footpaths. The women's shadows blended with those cast by the morning doves, the little souls stretching their own feathers against the brisk morning air.

Shifting east, Dani dove lower towards the pavement between two silver, mirror-sheeted skyscrapers. The metals within their extraordinary armor reflected upon the gleaming windows, literally blinding thanks to the sun. Though the air was chilly, the morning's dawning rays promised warmth and that fact comforted Dani, somehow lessening the darkness that threatened her subconscious. It was a relief, for the gloom that had been suffocating her mind for several days now had grown even more powerful upon arriving within the city. The feeling troubled her, more so than she had allowed Finch to know.

_Something really bad's coming._ _Please_, she silently asked of whatever deity ruled the earth, _please let us all be powerful enough to stop it_. She dared not consider what could happen if they failed. With a mighty stroke of her wings, Dani guided them straight in the direction of Manhattan Island's 1st Police Precinct.

-O-

A/N:

I was having trouble with my SGA story, so I digressed for a bit. I'm getting closer to the point where I can upload the next chapter to Culling the Herd though, just so everyone knows!

Till the next time we meet!


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